NCRA Key Issues Area

NCRA wants its members to have as much information as possible on topics that affect their professional lives. The Key Issues Area was developed to allow easy access for members to explore many of these issues. The menu on the left provides background on each subject, links to additional information or sources for further research, and NCRA contacts for any questions or concerns.

Certification

The goal of all certification programs is to raise the level of competence and professionalism of the practitioners in the industry. For the individual practitioner, certification provides a specific road map of the knowledge and skills needed in order to meet minimum standards of qualification, as well as an independent validation of competence that reporters can use to distinguish themselves in the market. There is clearly a public stake in the competent performance of reporters and, in some cases, life and liberty rely on the record.

Contracting

Litigants, other participants in the judicial system, and the general public expect that depositions and court proceedings be recorded by a competent, independent and neutral court reporter who has no stake, financial or otherwise, in the outcome of the action. Prohibiting parties of interest in litigation from having a direct contractual relationship with court reporters, as officers of the court, is necessary to ensure the public's faith in the integrity and impartiality of the judicial system.

Electronic/Digital Recording

Because of budget crunches, several courts are exploring the use of electronic recording systems to either supplement or replace stenographic reporters. Although electronic recording may be used in certain environments, such as courts that do not have frequent transcript requests, realtime court reporters, often described as "Guardians of the Record," remain the most reliable and accurate method of making the record.

Fair Labor Standards Act

Broadly speaking, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal statute that originally passed in 1938 that addressed many of the issues with a fast-paced and growing working class and the rights of those workers. It provided for a minimum wage, it provided basic child labor laws, and it provided ‘time and a half’ for employees in certain occupations who had to work overtime.

Student Shortage

To combat the issue of student shortages and to respond to the increasing demand for reporters who are realtime trained, NCRA has taken a multifaceted hands-on approach to advancing education for court reporters. NCRA's efforts have led to a dramatic improvement, with student enrollment increasing almost 38 percent at NCRA-approved programs after an almost decade-long decline in enrollment.